MANILA, Philippines - Bob Arum is expected to announce Manny Pacquiao vs Timothy Bradley in a couple of days, perhaps Tuesday right after the Super Bowl.
The Top Rank chief was scheduled to sit down with Bradley’s manager, Cameron Dunkin, and Pacquiao’s adviser, Mike Koncz, in San Antonio yesterday.
Pacquiao, who’s in the Philippines, is being briefed of the development, according to sports analyst Ronnie Nathanielsz who’s in San Antonio covering the Nonito Donaire fight.
“We will sit down and try to thresh everything out and then Manny will be contacted in the Philippines and hopefully we will be able to make an announcement on Tuesday,” Arum said.
Floyd Mayweather Jr. beat Pacquiao to the draw when he announced the other day, the day he was granted by the NSAC his license, his June 9 showdown with Miguel Cotto.
Pacquiao wanted Cotto as well. But problems with the weight stood in the way, and the Puerto Rican said he can’t drop down to 147 just to earn a rematch with Pacquiao.
So, Cotto went to Mayweather, who said he’d fight the reigning WBA light-middleweight champion at the limit of 154 lb, nothing more, nothing less.
It wasn’t a touch choice for Cotto, who will reportedly get 35 percent of the revenue, and possibly a total package of $30 million once everything comes in.
Arum said everybody has to move on after negotiations for Pacquiao vs Mayweather bogged down for the third time in as many years.
He said while Pacquiao and Mayweather are working on their respective fights, it’s still possible for the superfight to happen in November.
Arum is also putting up Juan Manuel Marquez vs Lamont Peterson in July, and whoever wins that fight may end up facing the winner between Pacquiao and Bradley later this year.
Mayweather offered Pacquiao $40 million with no share from the pay-per-view sales while Pacquiao offered Mayweather $50 million guaranteed, with the winner getting 55 percent of the revenues.
Nothing came out of both offers because Mayweather said he deserves more than what’s being offered to him, and called Pacquiao a “$10 million fighter” who should be happy with $40 million.
“It’s really bizarre, it’s really sad because it’s making a circus of boxing. It’s obvious to anybody who has looked at this – the fight isn’t happening because of Mayweather.
“For two years one thing was in stone – that was a 50-50 deal and now Mayweather has departed from it and that’s ridiculous. Hopefully when our fight is set in June, his fight is now set for May, we will sit down sensibly without a lot of pressure and plan a fight if both (Pacquiao and Mayweather) are successful for November, hopefully,” Arum added.
The problem here is if Mayweather beats Cotto, he becomes the new light-middleweight champion, and he might call on Pacquiao to fight him at 154 lb.
Pacquiao said he’d never fight any higher than 147. So, here’s just another reason why the superfight won’t happen – in November. - By Abac Cordero (Philstar News Service, www.philstar.com)
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